Abilene (Dallas, San Antonio, Austin: low crime, houses, universities)

[NOTAM]

I am from Ft Worth/Wichita Falls area originally and moving back to Texas. One of my many job prospects is in Abilene which I have visited briefly several times, but dont know much. Anyone have thoughts on Abilene as a place to live and work in?

[pioneer8]

I've been living in (well, 18 miles out) of Abilene for about 9 months. We are on the outskirts, going toward DFW. I don't live in the "city", but I shop there etc. I can say, it's lots smaller than Fort Worth. Since you know Texas, you are already familiar with weather etc... The cost of living (I come from around the Tampa. FL area) is phenomenal! It's less colorful than I like, but it's really growing on me! I know the area is growing as they have a year old Walmart (now two), a new Cracker Barrel, Chilie's, and strip mall all popping up on I20... The city has just made plans to get a Shliterbahn Water Park in 2007. I do think there is much to be said for this area. It is safe and I've seen much less bad news than in Tampa... If your looking for nightlife and such, it's not a big city, but does fairly well trying to keep arts and cultural type events alive. There are three colleges here. All with a religious offiliation, but they also offer some theatrical shows etc... They do have rodeos and all that cowboy stuff! We really like living out in the more "mountanious" region... It's our first time in the country and it is so cool! The train that goes through Abilene comes around our mountain first... Very cool. I think Abilene is a good city, with even more future potential. I can find out more if you have specifics. Good Luck.

[Crackerjack]

I have a dear friend in Abilene and it is a nice small city. It has a mild winter and the summers aren't as hot as DFW but as you know being in Texas, it is still hot. I like around Buffalo Gap but it can flood in low areas. Also Tuscola is a nice little town. Abilene and the area it is football all the way there. The people are friendly. I like the mountains that dot the area. I know someone who lived in in Clyde too. It seemed like a small nice town too.

[Cowboybootnut]

I also have a couple friends that live in Abilene, and I try to visit them about every couple months. It is a nice town, has about everything I would want in stores and great restaurants (tremendous steakhouses). There are three collages/universities nearby, they have an active downtown area, good museums and historical places.

I have heard the cost of living is very reasonable, but I have also heard that income is lower than normal. Crime is not real bad from what I have heard, but like any town there are good and bad spots.

The small towns nearby are nice, Baird and Albany are good for tourism.

If my wife and I had the jobs that we have now in the Dallas area, out in Abilene, I would move there in a heartbeat.

[pioneer8]

I think all of the above is accurate. Abilene is a good, small, and growing city. If your income is set, like my husbands was... low pay (which I'm not sure about) will not be a problem. Hope I was of some help.

[rainbird]

I was interested in the comment about mountains in the Abilene area. Is it hilly there? That would be a plus. I’ve got two Texas cities sound good to me, Abilene and San Angelo. They have a lot of similarities in weather, reasonable housing prices, big enough but not too big, low crime rates etc. I was wondering if any other of you has an opinion of which area around these cities is nicer. Nicer for me would mean some varied terrain, a few lakes, maybe some interesting small towns in the area to kick around in etc.

[lifertexan]

Having lived in both,I would choose San Angelo.Abilene is not really hilly by any standards other than relative to a totally flat area,although it is more so than San Angelo.The towns themselves are very similar,although I find SA to be a little more laid back than Abilene,possibly owing to a larger Hispanic population than Abilene.Abilene seems to look to DFW for inspiration for the lifestyle,while SA looks southward to San Antonio. For interesting side trips Abilene puts you closer to DFW,but in any other direction you have only Lubbock or Wichita Falls.SA puts you closer to the Hill Country,the Frio and Guadelupe Rivers,and Ft. Davis,Terlingua,and the Big Bend.

[pioneer8]

I have to say, there are small mountains in Buffalo Gap - right outside of Abilene and in and around Baird- 18 mins east on I20- I'm positive cuz I live on one. They're not the Smokies, the Rockies, or the Blue Ridge Parkway
>>> But. they fit the bill of varied landscape. I wouldn't want all flat either. There is a lake or two around (I think) but water... hum... not to much of it here in the heart of TX these days.

[Crackerjack]

Yes there are some small mountains, they are few and far but they do have some, go to Tuscola and you'll see a couple. Abilene proper is pretty flat with sort of "very low hills" and if I remember right, I remember seeing a mountain close to Potosi but I may be thinking about somewhere else. Yes Buffalo Gap has some too and I like Buffalo Gap with all the trees. I remember we would go swimming over there. I don't know if they still have the pool but it was a neat western looking town.

[lifertexan]

"Small" would be the operative word.If the mountains around Austin are termed the Hill Country,then the ones around Abilene are better termed mounds,or veerry small hills.I go through them all the time.In relation to what I am used to in the Hill Country they barely register as such.But in relation to the otherwise flatland around them,I guess they qualify at a local level.